Big 12 looking to move UT-A&M game to December

Annual matchup could come after Thanksgiving this year

MIKE FINGER, Austin Bureau

Published
6:30 am CST, Friday, February 18, 2011

Texas, Texas A&M and the Big 12 are considering the possibility of moving this Thanksgiving’s Longhorns-Aggies game to December, and a decision on the matter “needs to happen soon,” a UT official said Friday.

Butch Worley, who handles much of UT’s scheduling as senior associate athletic director, said the Longhorns’ “strong preference is to keep the game on Thanksgiving.”

“But if (Big 12 officials) feel it’s important to the TV package to move it to (Dec. 3), we would do that,” Worley said.

An A&M source said the Aggies would also be willing to move the game.

With the departures of Nebraska and Colorado leaving the Big 12 as a 10-team league, 2011 will be the first season the conference will not host a championship game. To fill that void, it has been suggested that some of the league’s higher profile games be moved to the date typically known as “championship Saturday.”

Worley said UT’s only firm request to the Big 12 is that the Longhorns are allowed to finish their regular season against the Aggies.

The 2011 UT-A&M game, which will be played in College Station, is the only one being considered for a move, Worley said.

The 2011 UT-A&M game, which will be played in College Station, is the only one being considered for a move

The 2011 UT-A&M game, which will be played in College Station, is the only one being considered for a move

Photo: Karen Warren, Chronicle

Photo: Karen Warren, Chronicle

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The 2011 UT-A&M game, which will be played in College Station, is the only one being considered for a move

The 2011 UT-A&M game, which will be played in College Station, is the only one being considered for a move

Photo: Karen Warren, Chronicle

Big 12 looking to move UT-A&M game to December

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“This is a one-shot deal,” Worley said. “There needs to be some thorough and candid dialogue between two athletic directors before anything happens beyond that.”